Audio Expert: Britney Recording Was 'Manipulated'

12/2/2010 10:00 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Tom Owen of OWL Investigations, and Chairman of the Audio Engineering Society Standards Committee of Forensic Audio, tells TMZ, the tape was "doctored" to such a severe extent, there's no way to conduct a meaningful voice-recognition test.

Owen says the tape has been "stepped on at least 3 times." With noise reduction, equalization and removal of voice qualities such as natural timbre, sibilance and tonal qualities, it's impossible to determine whether Britney's voice is on the tape.

Owen says Britney has a "very vanilla voice" and that with manipulation it wouldn't be that difficult to make someone sound like her.